Five Years After the Fire Disaster: Who Bears the Responsibility? - Frankfurt's Deadly High-Rise Fire Reopens Under New Scrutiny in Tatort: Torch
A five-year-old high-rise fire in Frankfurt's Goliath District is back under scrutiny. Detectives Hamza Kulina and Maryam Azadi have taken on their third joint case, titled Tatort: Torch, after new doubts surfaced about the original investigation. The blaze killed 13 people, but questions remain over its cause and the handling of evidence.
The fire tore through a residential tower in Kulina's childhood neighbourhood, where cheap, flammable insulation had been fitted during a retrofit. Entrepreneur Steffen Böttcher, who oversaw the project, now faces accusations from victims' families, who confronted him outside court. Their anger has grown as no major safety reforms followed the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster in London, despite similar construction risks.
Kulina's ex-girlfriend, Almila Adak, pushed him to reopen the case as a parliamentary inquiry drew to a close. The detectives soon uncovered a troubling detail: the original fire investigator had taken his own life months after the tragedy. They then accused Commissioner Christian Möller of failing to probe the suicide's connection to the case. Chief Sandra Schatz has since ordered a full reinvestigation of all leads. But the process has hit unexpected political resistance, raising concerns about whether the truth will emerge.
The reinvestigation continues, with Böttcher's role and the quality of the insulation under fresh examination. Families of the victims still demand answers, while authorities face pressure to explain why earlier probes fell short. The outcome could reshape public trust in high-rise safety standards.
